Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne hadn't experienced the rush of doing manual labor in forever.

Living with Murray for those years, she didn't have the maids waiting on hand and foot, but she steered clear of any heavy lifting. Even in the early days, when Murray's startup was getting off the ground when money was tight, they still had a cleaning lady come weekly for the house chores.

After finishing a can of paint, Roseanne stretched her aching back. Being pampered for years had made her soft. She went to the hallway, planning to bring in the rest of the paint.

But, in her haste, she knocked over the can. Though she acted quickly, a small spill still spread on her next-door neighbor's doorstep. She grabbed a mop instantly, but as she was halfway through cleaning, the previously shut door suddenly opened.

Their eyes met, and as she was about to apologize, she found herself face-to-face with a familiar person.

"You live here?"

"Owen?"

spoke at the

his feet, then back at her. "So, the new tenant

such a coincidence. "As you can see, we're

it was close to

why Roseanne? The environment wasn't ideal for a young woman, not least because of the lack of an elevator, which wouldn't be a first choice for the

was upset about the spill in the hallway. "Sorry about the mess with the paint.

me take that out for

Roseanne smiled. "Thanks."

ladder, painting became much more efficient. In just one morning, Roseanne had refreshed all the peeling paint in her apartment. It looked clean and orderly in no time. Later, she picked a new sofa and dining set, giving the room a light makeover, finally bringing her

of the lamps transformed the once-dingy space, making it

duvet cover on the bed, which smelled faintly of

afternoon were lined up by the window, radiating